RAPID: In Situ Measurements of Australian Bushfire Smoke in the Stratosphere

在这个快速项目中，两个PI提议在新西兰和哥斯达黎加进行实地观测，以确定在澳大利亚最近发生的大规模野火中卷入平流层的烟雾颗粒的物理和化学性质。新的知识将使大气化学家和建模人员了解这些粒子的潜在加热效应，以及它们对平流层臭氧的反应能力。结果将直接影响到预测气候和臭氧层变化的能力，这些变化是由强烈的野火驱动的。澳大利亚野火产生的烟雾已经到达平流层，而相关的含棕色和黑色碳颗粒的影响尚不清楚。为了更好地了解它们的现场辐射效应和化学反应能力，PI团队建议部署从新西兰Lauder和哥斯达黎加圣胡安起飞的气球飞行，这些飞行配备了颗粒测量和计数仪器以及过滤采样设备。过滤器和特定的底物将用扫描和透射电子显微镜(扫描和透射电子显微镜)进行离线分析，以确定形貌并获得一些化学信息，包括黑碳含量。这项工作的结果将增进对烟雾进入平流层的程度以及对辐射收支和臭氧层的相关影响的了解。此外，该项目可能会为其他正在进行的/未来的项目提供信息，包括研究冬季极地时间极地涡旋中的极地平流层云和大气烟雾，以及将现场烟雾测量与卫星观测进行比较。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

In this RAPID project, two PIs propose to conduct field observations in New Zealand and Costa Rica to determine physical and chemical properties of smoke particles that were entrained into the stratosphere during recent large wildfires in Australia. New knowledge will inform atmospheric chemists and modelers about the potential heating effect of these particles as well as their reactivity toward stratospheric ozone. Results will have direct implications on the ability to predict climate and changes in the ozone layer that are driven by intense wildfires.Smoke from wildfires in Australia have reached the stratosphere where the effect of associated brown and black carbon containing particles is unknown. To better understand their in-situ radiative effect and chemical reactivity, the PI team proposes to deploy balloon flights from Lauder, New Zealand, and San Juan, Costa Rica, that are equipped with particle sizing and counting instruments as well as filter sampling devices. Filters and specific substrates will be analyzed off-line with scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM) to determine morphology and obtain some chemical information including the black carbon content. Results from this work will advance knowledge of the extent of smoke entrainment into the stratosphere and associated effects on the radiative budget and ozone layer. In addition, the project may inform other ongoing/future projects including the study of polar stratospheric clouds and meteoric smoke in the winter time polar vortex, and a comparison of in-situ smoke measurements with satellite observations.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.